What books are similar to Orbiting Jupiter?

The 10 closest matches to Orbiting Jupiter by Gary D. Schmidt on ReadingList include Ghost, Mick Harte Was Here, Stargirl, Backlash, and Counting by 7s. Each is scored on shared themes (fatherhood, loss, and compassion), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 7–10), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.

Are books like Orbiting Jupiter reading-level appropriate?

Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 7–10), so the picks stay grade-appropriate. See how ReadingList judges text difficulty on the /standard methodology page.

How does ReadingList choose similar books?

Matches are ranked by shared themes, shared award and reading-program lists (two books picked for the same state award were chosen by the same committees for the same readers), same genre, comparable Lexile and grade band, and publication decade — computed from cited public curriculum data, not editorial opinion or AI-generated summaries.

Books like Orbiting Jupiter

If you liked Orbiting Jupiter, read Ghost, Mick Harte Was Here, or Stargirl — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared award lists and reading level.

Looking for books like Orbiting Jupiter by Gary D. Schmidt (Realistic Fiction · grades 7–10)? It’s most often read for its themes of fatherhood, loss, and compassion. The 10 titles below are the closest matches in the ReadingList database — each scored on shared themes, shared award lists, genre, and reading level, and each linked to the curricula, states, and grades where it’s assigned, with primary sources.

These are reading-level matches, not just topical ones — so the picks stay grade-appropriate for a grades 7–10 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

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Why each is a match

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Ghost730L: Both on the Connecticut Nutmeg Book Award list (+1 more shared list), same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (5–8). Amazon →
Mick Harte Was Heregrades 5–8: Both on the Connecticut Nutmeg Book Award list (+2 more shared lists), same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (5–8). Amazon →
Stargirlgrades 6–9: Both on the Grand Canyon Reader Award (Arizona) — formerly the Arizona Young Readers Award list (+1 more shared list), same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–9). Amazon →
Backlashgrades 3–8: Both on the Grand Canyon Reader Award (Arizona) — formerly the Arizona Young Readers Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8). Amazon →
Counting by 7sgrades 2–8: Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–8). Amazon →
Drums, Girls & Dangerous Piegrades 6–9: Both on the Grand Canyon Reader Award (Arizona) — formerly the Arizona Young Readers Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–9). Amazon →
Front Desk640L: Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–7). Amazon →
Ghost Boys360L: Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–7). Amazon →
Here Comes the Garbage Bargegrades 2–8: Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–8). Amazon →
Long Way Down720L: Shares themes of loss, both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, and overlapping grades (7–12). Amazon →

Books like Orbiting Jupiter for younger readers (K–2)

Closest matches whose grade range overlaps K–2— same scoring, different audience.

Lulu's Mysterious Mission by Judith Viorst · grades 2–8 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–8).
My Explosive Diary by Emily Gale · grades 2–8 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–8).
¡Vamos! Let's Go Eat by Raúl the Third III · grades 2–8 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–8).
Ida B. and Her Plans to Maximize Fun, Avoid Disaster, and (Possibly) Save the World by Katherine Hannigan · grades 2–8 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–8).
Lawn Boy by Gary Paulsen · grades 2–8 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–8).

Books like Orbiting Jupiter for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

Closest matches whose grade range overlaps 3–5— same scoring, different audience.

A Boy Called Bat by Elana K. Arnold · grades 3–5 — Both on the Connecticut Nutmeg Book Award list (+1 more shared list), same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (2010s).
Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo · 610L — Shares themes of loss and both on the Connecticut Nutmeg Book Award list (+1 more shared list).
Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor · 890L — Both on the Connecticut Nutmeg Book Award list (+2 more shared lists) and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo · grades 3–6 — Shares themes of loss and both on the Grand Canyon Reader Award (Arizona) — formerly the Arizona Young Readers Award list (+1 more shared list).
Ban This Book by Alan Gratz · grades 3–6 — Both on the Connecticut Nutmeg Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (2010s).

Books like Orbiting Jupiter for middle school (grades 6–8)

Closest matches whose grade range overlaps 6–8— same scoring, different audience.

Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor · 890L — Both on the Connecticut Nutmeg Book Award list (+2 more shared lists) and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo · grades 3–6 — Shares themes of loss and both on the Grand Canyon Reader Award (Arizona) — formerly the Arizona Young Readers Award list (+1 more shared list).
Ban This Book by Alan Gratz · grades 3–6 — Both on the Connecticut Nutmeg Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (2010s).
Lulu's Mysterious Mission by Judith Viorst · grades 2–8 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–8).
My Explosive Diary by Emily Gale · grades 2–8 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–8).

Books like Orbiting Jupiter for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

Closest matches whose grade range overlaps 9–12— same scoring, different audience.

Posted by John David Anderson · grades 6–9 — Both on the Connecticut Nutmeg Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–9).
Romiette and Julio by Sharon M. Draper · grades 7–10 — Both on the Young Hoosier Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (7–10).
Forged by Fire by Sharon M. Draper · grades 7–10 — Both on the Young Hoosier Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (7–10).
Refugee by Alan Gratz · 800L — Both on the Grand Canyon Reader Award (Arizona) — formerly the Arizona Young Readers Award list (+1 more shared list), overlapping grades (5–9), and the same era (2010s).
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares · grades 7–10 — Both on the Young Hoosier Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (7–10).

Book data last updated 2026-07-07. Matches are computed from each book’s cited attributes — see the methodology.

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